Weekly Newspaper and Tourism Guide for Ward County Trans Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

SPORTS

Dec. 25, 1997

Lobo cagers improve with season

With 3-3A District play just around the corner, improvements
continue to be a necessity in Monahans High School's Lobo
basketball. Throughout the '97-portion of the 1997-98
season, it is obvious both the men's and women's
basketball teams are making those improvements. Both
versions of "The Pack" have improved by leaps and bounds
since opening night although misleading records portray them
as "so-so."

The men's team, lacking overall varsity experience, still is
coming along like a district championship team. The Loboes
(3-6) have shown steady improvement throughout the season.

On opening night, the Mean Green were downed by the Fort
Stockton Panthers, 72-57. Cody Avary made an impressive
opening scoring 22 points. Cody Stockton pitched 14 points
into the losing cause, with 12 coming from outside the
three-point line. The Loboes came back home to take on the
Pecos Eagles on Nov. 18. Once again Avary scored 22 points,
and once again in a losing cause. Monahans dropped that
contest to Pecos, 58-52. The Big Green then hosted
Brownfield at home, and emerged victorious to up their
record to 1-2.

Then came the Coahoma tournament for the men, where they
placed third. The pack opened up play with a 63-50 defeat
of the Greenwood Rangers. Sophomore Brian Morris popped in
19 for the Loboes. After a day of rest, the men came back
to take on Tahoka, this time dropping the decision, 53-47.
The Mean Green then played the Snyder JV for third place.
The Loboes again came out winners, via a 57-45 score.

The men had one final tune-up before hosting the Monahans
Sandhills Tourney. The Green traveled to Pecos to take on
the Eagles for a second time. Again, the Loboes fell victim
to the Pecos press, and lost 54-39. Brandon Stephens led
all Monahans scorers with seven, while Jason Merrick and
David Williams each followed up with six.

Finally, the Monahans Sandhills Tournament arose. The men
had probably the toughest draw in the tournament. They
opened against San Elizario, and played tough despite a
44-37 loss. The loss put the men in the consolation bracket
against lat year's New Meico state champion Artesia. The
Loboes put up a Herculean second half effort, but still fell
victim to the Bulldogs, 72-57. Sophmore Chris Adams had a
strong showing for the Green, putting up eight points in the
fourth quarter. Chris Allen also pitched eight into the
losing cause. The game for seventh place between Monahans
and El Paso Mountain View promised to be a showdown, and it
was. The two teams battled each other for over two hours
before Mountain View emerged with a double-overtime 53-50
victory.The Loboes have played one game since the Monahans
Tournament. On Dec. 19th, the pack traveled to Brownfield
to take on the Cubs. The men had defeated Brownfield
earlier in the year, but Brownfield was not intimidated and
came out with a 57-54 victory.

Like the men, the women have improved tremendously
throughout the season. The women have shown tremendous
poise and dedication . The ladies, like the men, have
started out slowly.